Pre-assembled unitarily-insertable hanger-attached elevator shaft entrance construction

ABSTRACT

For insertion in the entrance opening of an elevator shaft, the present invention provides a pre-assembled entrance frame including a horizontal frame head to which is attached the upper ends of two laterally-spaced vertical jambs. Previously secured in the elevator shaft wall above the entrance opening thereof is an unfolded Z-section hanger provided with an outwardlyprojecting flange equipped with a depending pair of laterallyspaced threaded headed fasteners, which also serve as locating pins for the entrance frame. The horizontal sheet metal wall of the entrance frame head is provided at its inner or rearward edge with an upstanding L-section flange having a vertical web portion and a reversely-bent horizontal portion. This vertical web portion is provided with a pair of horizontally-elongated laterally-spaced angle Tee-slots of the same separations as the hanger fasteners, the slots having narrow horizontal portions extending forwardly into the horizontal flange. The entrance frame is preassembled, as in the adjacent corridor and is then slid into the shaft entrance opening with its horizontal head slots aligned with the heads of the hanger-mounted fasteners so that the threaded shanks thereof enter these horizontal slot portions as guide pins or locating pins and the heads pass through the vertical slot portions. He then inserts a flat wrench through the horizontal slot portions onto the fastener heads and by it rotates the fasteners to tighten them so as to secure the frame head to the hanger. At the same time, the installer guides the lower ends of the jambs into their intended locations on or near the floor, whereupon he secures them in such locations in any suitable way which is beyond the scope of the present invention. One such way is described and claimed in my co-pending application Ser. No. 124,127 filed Mar. 15, 1971, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,686,808 for Door Frame, Sill, and Facia Construction for Elevator Shaft Entrance Shaft Entrances.

United States Patent [191 Loomis 51 Nov. 13, 1973 PRE-ASSEMBLEDUNITARILY-INSERTABLE HANGER-ATTACHED ELEVATOR SHAFT ENTRANCECONSTRUCTION Charles M. Loomis, PO. Box 453, Arkansas City, Kans. 6700522 Filed: Aug. 30, 1972 211 Appl. No.: 285,027

[76] Inventor:

[52] U.S. Cl.... 52/30, 52/211 {51] Int. Cl B66b 9/00, E06b 1/04 [58]Field of Search 52/127, 30, 29, 217,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 5/1968 Halpern 52/21110/1968 Halpern 52/217 10/1970 Atkinson et a1. 52/30 8/1971 Loomis 52/29Primary ExaminerPrice C. Faw, Jr. Att0rneyWillis Bugbee [57] ABSTRACTunfolded Z-section hanger provided with an outwardly-projecting flangeequipped with a depending pair of laterally-spaced threaded headedfasteners, which also serve as locating pins for the entrance frame. Thehorizontal sheet metal wall of the entrance frame head is provided atits inner or rearward edge with an upstanding L-section flange having avertical web portion and a'reversely-bent horizontal portion. Thisvertical web portion is provided with a pair of horizontally-elongatedlaterally-spaced angle Tee-slots of the same separations as the hangerfasteners, the slots having narrow horizontal portions extendingforwardly into the horizontal flange. The entrance frame ispreassembled, as in the adjacent corridor and is then slid into theshaft entrance opening with its horizontal head slots aligned with theheads of the hangermounted fasteners so that the threaded shanks thereofenter these horizontal slot portions as guide pins or 10- cating pinsand the heads pass through the vertical slot portions. He then inserts aflat wrench through the horizontal slot portions onto the fastener headsand by it rotates the fasteners to tighten them so as to secure theframe head to the hanger. At the same time, the installer guides thelower ends of the jambs into their intended locations on or near thefloor, whereupon he secures them in such locations in any suitable waywhich is beyond the scope of the present invention. One such way isdescribed and claimed in my copending application Ser. No. 124,127 filedMar. 15, 1971, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,686,808 for Door Frame, Sill, andFacia Construction for Elevator Shaft Entrance Shaft Entrances.

10 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PATENIEDnov 13 I915 SHEET 2 OF 2 A .w\ u

PRE-ASSEMBLED UNITARILY-INSERTABLE HANGER-ATTACHED ELEVATOR SHAFTENTRANCE CONSTRUCTION BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Hitherto, thecomponents of the elevator shaft entrance frame have been necessarilyassembled in the elevator shaft entrance opening piece by piece, withthe entrance frame head secured to the hanger upon which is mounted thetrackway for the sliding door or doors of the entrance opening. Thejambs must also be separately inserted in the entrance opening andseparately secured to the elevator entrance frame head while at theshaft opening. This prior construction is thus incapable of beingpre-assembled in the building corridor and slid into place unitarily.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides ahanger-attached elevator shaft entrance frame which can be convenientlypre-assembled in the building corridor or elsewhere, inserted unitarilyinto the elevator shaft entrance opening while guided by its head slotsand the hanger fasteners as locating devices by the hanger fasteners tothe hanger in a rapid, simple and precise yet inexpensive manner.

In the drawings, 1

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary rear perspective view of the major portion of apre-assembled unitarily-insertable hanger-attached elevator shaft frame,looking outward from the interior of the elevator shaft;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary rear perspective view of the inner portion ofthe entrance frame head, looking downward and outward from the interiorof the elevator shaft, showing the angle-T-slots for the reception ofthe hanger attachment fasteners;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary vertical section taken along the line 3-3 inFIG. 1 showing the elevator entrance frame head being slid into guidedlocating and coupling engagement with the hanger fastener;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 but at a later stage of assembly,showing the relative positions of the corresponding parts after the headof the entrance frame has been engaged with the horizontal flange of thehanger and secured thereto by the headed fasteners in the slots of theelevator engrance frame head;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary vertical section of a prior art constructionshowing the attachment of the elevator entrance frame head to the hangerand the subsequent-.

ly-mounted jambs secured to the head after insertion in the elevatorshaft entrance opening;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the modified head of a preassembledunitarily-insertable hanger-attached elevator shaft frame adapted foruse with a two-speed, two-part door, shown in dotted lines, assubstituted for the head construction shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary vertical section taken-along the line 7-7 inFIG. 6. 7

Referring to the drawings in detail, FIG. 1 shows a pre-assembledunitarily-insertable hanger-attached elevator shaft entranceconstruction, generally designated 10, as consisting generally of ahanger 12 adapted to carry the door-supporting trackway (not shown), andalso adapted to be secured to a wall of an elevator shaft 14 in anysuitable manner. One such arrangement, for example, is disclosed andclaimed in the Loomis US.

Pat. No. 3,601,938 issued Aug. 31, 1971 for Universal Elevator ShaftEntrance Construction. The particular manner of securing the hanger 12to the elevator shaft structure is beyond the scope of the presentinvention 5 and forms no part thereof. Secured to the hanger 12 in themanner described below is a pre-assembled unitarily-insertable elevatorentrance frame, generally designated 16, consisting generally of ahorizontal sheet metal head 18 to which are secured and from whichdepend two laterally-spaced parallel vertical jambs 20.

The two jambs 20 (only one of which is shown in FIG. 1) are of similarconstruction but of opposite hand so that the flanges of both faceoutward away from each other and away from the entrance opening 22 whichthey, the entrance head 18, and a sill 24 define. Each jamb 20 is formedfrom sheet metal and includes a central vertical panel or side wall 26having laterallybent front and rear end walls 28 and 30, the outer edgesof which are provided with reversely-bent flanges 32 and 34 respectivelydirected toward one another in parallel relationship to the side wall26. Secured to each side wall 26 near the lower end thereof and facingoutward toward the flanges 32 and 34 is a jambconnection bracket 36welded or otherwise attached by one or more arms 38 to the side wall 26.

Each jamb-connection bracket 36 is detachably and adjustably secured ina manner the details of which are beyond the scope of the presentinvention, to an adjacent jamb floor bracket 40 of channel sectionhaving a lower floor-engaging flange 42 which is bolted or otherwisesecured to the corridor floor 44 and has a perpendicularly-bent portion46 extending downward and attached to the sill 24. The jamb floorbracket 40 is of channel section having an upstanding web portion 48 andan upper flange portion 50. The web portion 48 is provided with twokeyhole slots (not shown) into which are insertable two headed fasteners(also not shown) secured to the jamb-connection bracket 36 in a mannerdisclosed and claimed in my co-pending application Ser. No. 124,127filed Mar. 15, 1971 for Door Frame, Sill and Facia Construction forElevator Shaft Entrances, the details of which form no part of thepresent invention.

The entrance frame head 18 is also of sheet metal and has a horizontalbottom wall 52 from the forward edge of which rises a forward web 54 theupper edge of which is formed with a reversely-bent upper flange 56extending rearwardly parallel to the bottom wall 52 and havingdownwardly-bent end portions 58 overlapping and secured as by welding tothe outer forward flanges 32 of the jamb 20. Extending upward from therearward edge of the bottom wall 52 is a rearward web 60 the upper edgeof which is formed with a reverselybent rearward flange 62. The rearwardweb 60 and flange 62 (FIG. 2) areprovided with two laterallyspaced angletee-slots 64 each of which consists of a A horizontally-elongatedrectangular lower slot portion 66, a narrower intermediate connectingslot portion 68, and a horizontal upper slot portion 70, the latterbeing formed in and extending through the upper rearward flange 62. f

The hanger 12 which, as previously stated, is of unfolded Z-sectionform, has a lower horizontal flange 72 extending forward from the loweredge of an intermediate vertical panel 74 the upper edge of whichcontinues in a rearwardly-extending horizontal panel 76 terminating atits rearward edge in a vertical flange 78. The

lower flange 72 is provided with a pair of threaded holes 80 spacedhorizontally apart from one another at the same distance or separationas the vertical slot portions 68 of the angle tee-slots 64. Threadedupward from below the lower flange 72 into the holes 80 are the shanks82 of two fasteners such as bolts or cap screws 84 with heads 86. Thefasteners 84 also serve as locating pins and guide pins, as describedbelow. The elongated vertical slot portions 66 are of greater verticalwidths than the thicknesses of the bolt heads 86 and the vertical slotportions 64 are of greater widths than the diameters of the shanks 82 sothat the bolts or cap screws 84 may easily enter the angle tee-slots 64and still leave room for the insertion and operation of a flat wrenchthrust through the slot portions 66 into engagement with the bolt heads86.

In the prior art construction (FIG. 5) which is superseded by thepresent invention, the jarnbs 90 are secured at their upper ends to thehorizontal panel portion 92 of the entrance frame head 94, after thejarnbs 90 and head 94 have been inserted in the elevator shaft entranceopening 22. Extending upward from the rearward edge of the horizontalpanel 92 of the head 94 is a vertical panel 96 which is drilled near itsupper edge with holes 98 for the reception of screws 100, the threadedshanks 102 of which are threaded into and throughcorrespondingly-threaded holes 104 in the vertical panel 106 of a hanger108 with a horizontal lower flange 110. In this prior art construction,in addition to requiring the jarnbs 90 and the entrance head 94 to beseparately inserted and joined together in the elevator shaft entranceopening 22, the bolt holes 98 and 104 must be drilled and the latterthreaded after such positioning, by a workman located inside theelevator shaft 14. This prior construction thus requires eachinstallation to be custom made and assembled in and from theinconvenient working space constituted by the elevator shaft 14 and itsentrance opening 22.

In the installation of the pre-assembled unitarilyinsertablehanger-attached elevator shaft entrance construction 10, the jarnbs andhead 18 are lined up with one another in any convenient location, suchas in the building corridor adjacent the elevator shaft 14 and itsentrance opening 22, and are then secured to one another by bolting,welding or in any other suitable manner as shown in FIG. 1. The jambconnection brackets 36 are conveniently secured in the same manner totheir respective side walls 26 either at this time or during themanufacture of the jarnbs 20 at the factory. The hanger 12 is secured inits proper location relatively to the entrance opening 22 inside theelevator shaft 14 as described, for example, in my previouslymentionedUS. Pat. No. 3,601,938 of Aug. 31, 1971, and the jamb floor brackets 40and sill 24 are installed as also described in that patent.

With the pre-assembled unitarily-insertable elevator entrance frame 16thus fabricated at a location away from the elevator shaft 14, theinstalling workmen now slide it into the entrance opening 22 with thejamb connection brackets 36 aligned with their respective jamb floorbrackets 40. The entrance frame l6 is moved inward until itshorizontally-elongated portion 66 of each angle tee-slot 64 receives andpasses the head 86 of its corresponding fastener 84 while the verticalslot portion 64 and the horizontal slot portion 70 receives and passesthe threaded shank 82 thereof.

While this procedure is being carried out, the installing workmen alsoguide the heads (not shown) of the laterally-projecting fastenerssecured to the jamb connection brackets 36 into their respectivekey-slots (also not shown) in the webs 48 of the channel-shaped jambfloor brackets 40 with the fastener heads first passing through thecircular portions of the keyhole slots and the shanks afterward slidingalong the narrower rectangular portions of the keyhole slots, asdisclosed in my previously-mentioned co-pending application Ser. No.124,127 filed Mar. 15, 1971. With the entrance frame 16 thus reachingits intended and final position, one of the installing workmen insertsthe head of the appropriate flat wrench through eachhorizontally-elongated vertical slot portion 66 (FIG. 4) into engagementwith the head 86 of its respective threaded fastener 84 and rotates thelatter to tighten the head 86 securely against the slot 70 and force thelatter tightly against the flange 72 of the hanger 12. He then repeatsthis procedure with the other fastener 84 at the other end of theflanges 62 and 72, completing the installation.

The pre-assembled unitarily-insertable hangerattached elevator shaftentrance construction, generally designated 116, with the modified headconstruction shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 shows the adaptation of theinvention to an elevator installation employing a twopart two-speed doorD having a slow-speed door component S and a fast-speed door component F(FIG. 6). The modified arrangement shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 is closelyrelated to the construction of the head 18 in FIGS. 1 to 4 inclusive,and employs the same remaining parts of the elevator entrance frameconstruction shown below the head 18 in FIGS. 1 to 4 inclusive. Theinstallation instructions set forth above also remain substantially thesame for FIGS. 6 and 7.

The modified entrance frame head, generally designated 112, like theentrance frame head 18, is of sheet metal and has a horizontal bottomwall 114 from the forward edge of which rises a forward web 116. Theupper edge of the web 116 is provided with a reverselybent upper flange118 extending rearwardly parallel to the bottom wall 114 and havingdownwardly-bent end portions 120 overlapping the outer forward flanges32 of the jamb 20 (FIG. 1) and secured as by welding thereto. Extendingupward from the rearward edge of the bottom wall 114 is a rearwardvertical flange 122.

Mounted upon the bottom wall 114 is a forward channel bracket 124 havinga vertical rearward flange 126 abutting the vertical rearward flange 122and having a web 128 resting upon the bottom wall 114. Rising from theforward end of the web 128 is a vertical flange 130 containing a T-slot132 extending into a horizontal flange 134 thereon. Also mounted uponthe bottom wall 114 in laterally-spaced relationship thereto is arearward channel bracket 136 also having a rearward flange 138 abuttingthe rearward head flange 122 and a narrower web 140 resting upon thebottom wall 1 14. Rising from the web 140 is a vertical flange 142 alsocontaining a T-slot 144 similar to the T-slot 132 and similarlyextending into a horizontal flange 146, similar to the horizontal flange134. Due to the fact that the web 140 of the rearward channel bracket136 is narrower than the corresponding web 128 of the forward bracket124, the vertical flange 130 and T-slot 132 of the latter is offset in aforward direction from the vertical flange 142 and T-slot 144 of therearward channel bracket 136. This offset construction thus provides thenecessary offset relationship and clearance of the slowspeed andfast-speed components S and F of the twopart two-speed door D mountedbeneath them. Each of the T-slots 132 and 144 includes ahorizontallyelongated approximately rectangular vertical lower slotportion 148 formed in the vertical flange 130 or 142 communicating atits mid-point with a horizontal upper slot portion 150 perpendicular tothe lower slot portion 148 formed in the upper horizontal flange 134 or146 respectively. The two channel brackets 124 and 136 are welded orotherwise secured to the bottom wall 114 adjacent the rearward flange122 thereof.

The installation of the pre-assembled unitarilyinsertablehanger-attached elevator shaft frame 116 follows the same procedure setforth above for the elevator shaft construction and is believed torequire no further description.

I claim:

1. The combination of a pre-assembled unitarilyinsertable elevator shaftentrance frame with a frameanchoring hanger comprising a hanger havingan upper portion adapted to be secured within the elevator shaftadjacent and above an entrance opening thereof and having a lowerportion projecting from said upper portion at an angle relativelythereto,

said lower portion having a plurality of laterallyspaced holes therein,

a fastener disposed in each of said hanger holes and havingtool-applying means thereon for moving said fastener relatively to saidlower portion of said hanger,

and an elevator shaft entrance frame constructed and arranged to fit theelevator shaft entrance opening and including a pair of laterally-spacedvertical jambs and a horizontal frame head secured to the upper endportions of said jambs in interconnecting relationship therewith, saidframe head having therein a pair of laterallyspaced apertures of thesame lateral spacing as said fasteners and adapted to receive saidfasteners in guided relationship thereto in response to movement of saidentrance frame into the elevator shaft entrance opening into engagementwith said fasteners and with said hanger carrying said fasteners.

2. The combination of claim 1, wherein said apertures comprise slots andwherein said fasteners have shanks movable into said slots duringcoupling of said frame with said'hanger.

3. The combination of claim 2, wherein said fasteners have enlargedheads urging said lower portion of said hanger and said frame head intocoupled engagement with one another.

4. The combination of claim 1, wherein said lower portion of said hangercomprises a flange projecting from the lower edge of said upper portiontoward said frame head, wherein said frame head has a bent portiondisposed adjacent said hanger flange, and wherein said apertures aredisposed in said bent portion.

5. The combination of claim 4, wherein said frame head has a centralsubstantially horizontal panel, wherein said frame head bent portion isof angle crosssection with a web portion disposed substantiallyperpendicular to said frame head panel and with a flange portiondisposed substantially perpendicular to said web portion in spacedparallel relationship to said panel, and wherein said apertures aredisposed in said web portion.

6. The combination of claim 5, wherein said apertures comprise slotsdisposed in part on said web portion and in part in said flange portion.

7. The combination of claim 6, wherein each of said slots is oftee-shaped configuration with a laterallyelongated web section disposedin said web portion and with a narrower flange section disposed in saidflange portion.

8. The combination of claim 4, wherein said frame head has a pair ofupstanding bent portions thereon disposed in laterally-spacedrelationship in spaced parallel planes, and wherein said apertures aredisposed in said bent portions.

9. The combination of claim 8, wherein said bent portions have flangeportions disposed substantially perpendicular thereto, and wherein saidapertures comprise slots disposed in part in said bent portions and inpart in said flange portions.

10. The combination of claim 9, wherein each of said slots is oftee-shaped configuration with laterallyelongated lower sections disposedin said bent portions and with narrower upper sections disposed in saidflange portions.

1. The combination of a pre-assembled unitarily-insertable elevatorshaft entrance frame with a frame-anchoring hanger comprising a hangerhaving an upper portion adapted to be secured within the elevator shaftadjacent and above an entrance opening thereof and having a lowerportion projecting from said upper portion at an angle relativelythereto, said lower portion having a plurality of laterally-spaced holestherein, a fastener disposed in each of said hanger holes and havingtool-applying means thereon for moving said fastener relatively to saidlower portion of said hanger, and an elevator shaft entrance frameconstructed and arranged to fit the elevator shaft entrance opening andincluding a pair of laterally-spaced vertical jambs and a horizontalframe head secured to the upper end portions of said jambs ininterconnecting relationship therewith, said frame head having therein apair of laterally-spaced apertures of the same lateral spacing as saidfasteners and adapted to receive said fasteners in guided relationshipthereto in response to movement of said entrance frame into the elevatorshaft entrance opening into engagement with said fasteners and with saidhanger carrying said fasteners.
 2. The combination of claim 1, whereinsaid apertures comprise slots and wherein said fasteners have shanksmovable into said slots during coupling of said frame with said hanger.3. The combination of claim 2, wherein said fasteners have enlargedheads urging said lower portion of said hanger and said frame head intocoupled engagement with one another.
 4. The combination of claim 1,wherein said lower portion of said hanger comprises a flange projectingfrom the lower edge of said upper portion toward said frame head,wherein said frame head has a bent portion disposed adjacent said hangerflange, and wherein said apertures are disposed in said bent portion. 5.The combination of claim 4, wherein said frame head has a centralsubstantially horizontal panel, wherein said frame head bent portion isof angle cross-section with a web portion disposed substantiallyperpendicular to said frame head panel and with a flange portiondisposed substantially perpendicular to said web portion in spacedparallel relationship to said panel, and wherein said apertures aredisposed in said web portion.
 6. The combination of claim 5, whereinsaid apertures comprise slots disposed in part on said web portion andin part in said flange portion.
 7. The combination of claim 6, whereineach of said slots is of tee-shaped configuration with alaterally-elongated web section disposed in said web portion and with anarrower flange section disposed in said flange portion.
 8. Thecombination of claim 4, wherein said frame head has a pair of upstandingbent portiOns thereon disposed in laterally-spaced relationship inspaced parallel planes, and wherein said apertures are disposed in saidbent portions.
 9. The combination of claim 8, wherein said bent portionshave flange portions disposed substantially perpendicular thereto, andwherein said apertures comprise slots disposed in part in said bentportions and in part in said flange portions.
 10. The combination ofclaim 9, wherein each of said slots is of tee-shaped configuration withlaterally-elongated lower sections disposed in said bent portions andwith narrower upper sections disposed in said flange portions.